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Christopher huffs as he falls on his butt. Again .
He didn’t even want to do dance. Okay…maybe he did ask his mom to do hip hop. But then she signed him up for ballet, tap, and jazz too and if he falls out of this pirouette one more time. It’s so much harder spinning on his toes.
As he stomps over to get water, he catches sight of that kid from his school, Felix? He’s in all of Christopher’s dance classes and he is infuriatingly good. There is no reason a 7 year old should be able to move like that, but he does it anyway. Christopher fights with himself to keep the scowl off his face as Felix executes perfectly the same move that just landed him on the floor three times. It’s not Felix’s fault Christopher sucks.
It’s a relief when he gets to take the ballet shoes off and get ready for hip hop class. He feels more at home when the music for the combo they are doing has words instead of annoying piano trills.
Felix is good at hip hop too, and their teacher praises them both when the music stops.
“Great job, Christopher! You have a fantastic style and sense of rhythm already! You looked good too, Felix! Try to loosen up your back a little, but good work. Let’s try it again guys!”
Christopher can’t help but feel a little smug that he got straight praise while Felix got a compliment sandwich. He glances over at Felix to find the other boy already looking at him.
“Nice job,” Felix mouths at him, holding out his fist for a fist bump. His smile is so genuine that Christopher feels a little bad that he was being mean in his own head. It’s not a competition, and it’s still cool that they are the only ones in the class that the teacher noticed.
He smiles back, giving him the requested fist bump before the 16 count starts. Maybe dance isn’t so bad.
11 years later
Nutcracker season.
Christopher is pretty stoked for this one. Yeah ballet is still his least favorite, but for his last Nutcracker he gets to be the motherfucking Mouse King .
He always wanted to be the Mouse King growing up, ever since he was a mouse in his first Nutcracker. He dreamed of doing the battle scene every year.
The best part though, is that he gets to dance with Felix, who’s playing the Nutcracker this year.
Felix and Christopher have developed a pretty great friendship over the last decade. Their petty one-sided rivalry from when they were kids has developed into a very healthy one, if you ask Christopher. They just want the best for each other. Felix wants Christopher to like ballet as much as he does, and Christopher just wants Felix to achieve his dreams. He’s the sweetest person Christopher knows.
“Hey, rat .”
Sometimes he’s the sweetest person Christopher knows. Sometimes he’s just a pest.
“Hey, brat,” Christopher snaps back, but the smile on his face ruins the tone he’s trying to achieve.
“You ready to tussle?” Felix laughs, putting up his fists in a boxing formation. He fake swings at Christopher, who pokes him in the ribs as punishment. “Ah! You know I’m ticklish, Chris.”
“That’s why we’ll be using swords for our duel. We can’t fight with our hands, what are we, barbarians?”
“Don’t rats eat with their hands?”
“I’m a king!”
Felix giggles, kicking his tight-clad feet up into Christopher’s lap, “Uh huh. Your majesty.”
Christopher wills his ears not to turn red and tickles Felix’s foot, “Put your shoes on, it’s almost time.”
”For your part, I’ve still got time. Put your rat head on, you’ll look so sexy.”
“Shut up,” Christopher snorts. He does put his head on, knowing his ears must be telling the world his thoughts.
“You just got ten times more handsome.”
“Lix,” Christopher groans, turning to face his giggling friend. “Make sure you remember your sword.”
“Yep.”
“And stretch before you—“
“ Chris , relax. There’s no reason to be nervous.”
Christopher pouts behind the mouse head, “Who said I was nervous?”
“I know you,” Felix smiles, and that makes Christopher’s heart rate pick up for some reason. “It’s our last Nutcracker. Let’s just have fun, yeah?”
“Yeah,” Christopher breathes. “Hey.”
“Hey what?”
“Merry Christmas, Lix.”
“Christopher, it’s the 23rd.”
“It doesn’t get more Christmas than this!” Christopher exclaims, gesturing at his mouse head.
“Merry Christmas, Chris. Go break a leg.”
“Break your wrist,” Christopher smiles, glad the mouse head is hiding his fond.
“Yes, your highness,” Felix laughs, leaning in to kiss his mouse cheek. “Go, the mice are on stage.”
Christopher’s brain takes a second to rewire, his feet only working when Felix physically pushes him out of the dressing room, laughing at his dazed state.
“Your highness!”
Christopher turns from where he’s talking with his family to see Felix scurrying over to him on his toes, a bad habit of his. He’s holding like four bouquets and is smiling so bright Christopher’s chest hurts.
“Got enough flowers?” Christopher teases.
“Nope!” Felix grins, “You got me some right? I got you some!”
Felix takes a rose out of one of the bouquets and presents it to Christopher, bowing a bit, “Your majesty.”
Christopher blinks, only coming back to life when his sister flicks his ear, that is no doubt on fire. “Ow!” He yelps, swatting blindly at her while she laughs at him.
Christopher takes the rose from Felix shyly. “Thank you for the rose that you received from someone else,” he deadpans.
“You’re welcome,” Felix smiles. “And me?”
Christopher scoffs, “Brat.” He gives Felix one of the flowers he got from his mom anyway.
“Aw, Chris! You shouldn’t have!”
“I didn’t. That’s from Mom.”
“Thank you, Eomma,” Felix giggles, running up to hug Christopher’s mom. She hugs him tight, whispering how good he was during the show.
Christopher’s sister comes up to him, again to inflict violence. She hits his arm moderately hard.
“What the fuck is your deal?” He hisses at her, “You’re supposed to be nice to me today!”
“Are you gonna kiss him or what?” She whisper yells, pointing at Felix.
Christopher turns red, looking away from where she’s pointing, “Why would I do that? We’re friends—“
“You’re so in love with him it makes you look stupid.”
“Shut up!”
“Be nice to your sister,” Felix scolds him, suddenly next to them again. “She’s not wrong.”
Christopher’s heart drops out of his ass, “You heard?!”
“You guys can’t whisper for shit,” Felix laughs. He doesn’t look upset, or weirded out, so that’s good. Right?
His sister low fives Felix, then goes back to their family.
“You guys talk?” Christopher scrunches up his nose, “That’s treason.”
“Hush,” Felix scoffs, taking Christopher by the hand and leading him away from all the chaos of the dancers and their families. “So.”
“So…”
“Are you gonna kiss me?” Felix speaks softly, looking at Christopher through his lashes. “It’s Christmas, would be kinda romantic.”
Christopher laughs, the nerves leaving his body, “It’s the 23rd, Lix.”
“Doesn’t get more Christmas than this,” Felix says, pointing at the ceiling.
Christopher looks up, jaw falling open at the sight of mistletoe hung above them.
“Merry Christmas,” Christopher smiles, locking eyes with Felix before slowly leaning in and pressing their lips together.
It’s incredibly warm, kissing Felix feels like a warm summer day. The kiss gets a little shitty, because they’re both smiling too hard for it to really work.
They break apart, just before Christopher is tackled by a dozen tiny children in mice costumes.
“You kissed Mr. Felix!”
“Eww!”
“That was so cute!”
“My eyes!”
Christopher groans, little elbows digging into his sides everywhere, “Lix, help!”
Felix giggles, mischief in his eyes, “I’ll see you later!”
“Felix! This is actually treason!”
“Love you!” Felix shouts, going back to his family.
Christopher sighs, accepting his fate.
“I love you,” he says, a bit too late. That’s okay, he’s sure Felix knows.